Process for treating fiber.



ROBERT R. ROBERTS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF CQLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED TEXTILE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PROCESS FORITREATING FIBER.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT R. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Treating Fiber, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of treating those parts of fiber producing plants, such .as flax, ramie, jute, hemp, pita, slsal andthe like, which are utilized in fiber production.

More especially the invention relates to an improved process for treating vegetable fibers to produce a finished fiber such as is used in the manufacture of textile fabrics, cordage, paper and the like.

To the end of producing such finished fiber I have previously invented certain processes covered by United States patents granted to me and bearing respective dates and numbers as follows:

952,996, issued March 22- 1910;

No. 953.010, issued .March '22-1 910, and 1,002,187, issued May 20-1913. In the course of experiment I have found that, while each of the processes produces. from raw fiber treated thereby, an excellent finished fiber the processes could be greatly improved With a resultant improvement in snnplicity and cheapness of operation and in the quality of the product.

The principal and most important object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved process for treating fiber which will be cheaper and more etficient in operation and will produce an improved quality of fiber fit for manufacture without further, treatment.

With this in view I first treat the raw ma terial in its dry state mechanically as described in my copending application filed of even date herewith and bearing the Serial Number 183,539. This results in freeing the fiber from its cortex and from all shives. The fiber is'then packed in any suitable con: t ainers such as wire baskets and passed successively through an alkaline degumming bath, a souring bath for neutralizing the alkalin-ity of the Wet degummed fiber and for precipitating the alkaline content of the solution carried over from the degummingbath as Well as for removing the tannic acid and iron stains contained in all crude vegetable fibers, a saponaceous washmg bath, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed July 30, 1917. Serial No. 183,460.

a rinsing bath of clear water. The fiber is then drained and dried and is ready for baling and shipping as undressed line commercial fiber.

Considering the treatment of one hundred pounds of the deshived-fiber the degumming bath is prepared by adding to 100 gallons of soft water from 5 to 12 pounds of carbonate of soda, from 8 to 13 pounds of any good brand of borated soap powder and from 1. to 3 quarts of kerosene oil. This solution is placed in a vat or sump capable of being hermetically closed and fitted with steam coils which may or may not'be perforated. After the fiber has been placed in the vat and the latter closed the solution is boiled until the pressure, determined in any suitable manner, reaches between 50 and '75 pounds. The boiling is continued from twenty minutes to one hour according to the kind and nature or quality of the fiber under treatment. After thistreatment the fiber is I removed from the degumming bath andplaced in the souring bath suflicient to cover the fiber and which eonsistsof a solution of sulfuric acid (H 80 in water, the solution containing from .8% to 1.5% of the acid. In this bath the-fiber is allowed to remain about 10 minutes when it is transferred to a washing bath consisting of a suitable solution of a neutral soap in water. The fiber is then thoroughly rinsed in a rinsing bath of soft water to remove all traces of chemicals and soap. is dried and baled.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed is p 1. That process of treating v'egetable fibers which consists in boiling the fibers in an alkaline solution containing kerosene, removing the boiled fibers and treating them in an acid bath, washing the fibers in a saponaceous solution, rinsing the washed fibers, and finally drying the rinsed fibers.

2. That process of treating vegetable fibers which consists in boiling the fibers under pressure in an alkaline solution containing kerosene, removing the boiled fibers and treating them in anacid bath, washing the fibers in a saponaceous solution, rinsing the washed fibers, and finally drying the rinsed fibers.

3. That processof treating deshived vegetable fibers which consists in boiling the fibers under pressure in an aqueous solution containing carbonate of soda, borated scan and kerosene, transferring the fibers to an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, transferring the fibers to a washing solution containing neutral soap, rinsing the fibers in clear water and finally drying the fibers.

4. That process of treating deshived vegetable fibers which consists in boiling the fibers under pressure in an aqueous solution containing carbonate of soda, borated soap and kerosene in the proportions of soft Water 100 gallons, carbonate of soda 5 to 12 pounds, borated soap 8 to 13 pounds and kerosene 1% to 3 quarts, transferring the fibers to an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid containing from .870 to 1.5% of. the acid, 15 transferring the fibers to a washing solution containing neutral soap, rinsing the fibers in clear water, and finally drying the fibers.

In testimony whereof affix my signature.

ROBELT R. ROBERTS.

Witnesses Y M. K. FLAHERTY, L. N. Gums. 

